US20120000515A1 - Systems and Methods for Prevention of Open Loop Damage During or Immediately After Manufacturing - Google Patents
Systems and Methods for Prevention of Open Loop Damage During or Immediately After Manufacturing Download PDFInfo
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- US20120000515A1 US20120000515A1 US13/232,887 US201113232887A US2012000515A1 US 20120000515 A1 US20120000515 A1 US 20120000515A1 US 201113232887 A US201113232887 A US 201113232887A US 2012000515 A1 US2012000515 A1 US 2012000515A1
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
- H01L31/02—Details
- H01L31/02016—Circuit arrangements of general character for the devices
- H01L31/02019—Circuit arrangements of general character for the devices for devices characterised by at least one potential jump barrier or surface barrier
- H01L31/02021—Circuit arrangements of general character for the devices for devices characterised by at least one potential jump barrier or surface barrier for solar cells
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
- H01L31/0248—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by their semiconductor bodies
- H01L31/036—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by their semiconductor bodies characterised by their crystalline structure or particular orientation of the crystalline planes
- H01L31/0376—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by their semiconductor bodies characterised by their crystalline structure or particular orientation of the crystalline planes including amorphous semiconductors
- H01L31/03762—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by their semiconductor bodies characterised by their crystalline structure or particular orientation of the crystalline planes including amorphous semiconductors including only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
- H01L31/03767—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by their semiconductor bodies characterised by their crystalline structure or particular orientation of the crystalline planes including amorphous semiconductors including only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table presenting light-induced characteristic variations, e.g. Staebler-Wronski effect
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02S—GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES
- H02S50/00—Monitoring or testing of PV systems, e.g. load balancing or fault identification
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- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
- Y02E10/50—Photovoltaic [PV] energy
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10S136/00—Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric
- Y10S136/291—Applications
- Y10S136/293—Circuits
Definitions
- the present invention relates generally to the field of solar cells and, more particularly, to prevention of open loop damage during or immediately after manufacturing of solar cells.
- no load a medium to large amount of light or sunlight with no load or very little load
- the cause of light induced degradation is not very well understood currently.
- the problem often occurs during and immediately after manufacturing the solar cells.
- One possible effect of the problem is an undesirable buildup of unipolar or dipolar charges near the junction layer of the solar cell.
- the buildup, or static barrier results in reduction of the solar cell output voltage by as much as 20%, depending on the prevalent mix of wavelengths and temperature to which the solar cells are exposed.
- Undesirable effects are compounded by the above-mentioned physical damage to the solar cell and can lead to very substantial losses in the production of electricity, as the static barrier reduces the energy output of the solar cell and further contributes to its heating up.
- systems and methods include a solar cell having an open loop voltage approaching a critical voltage range when exposed to light.
- a circuit connected to the solar cell, is configured to load the solar cell when the open loop voltage of the solar cell reaches a threshold within a predetermined range of the critical voltage range.
- FIG. 1A illustrates an exemplary solar cell.
- FIG. 1B illustrates an exemplary solar cell having micro-cracks.
- FIG. 2A illustrates a first exemplary circuit in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 2B illustrates a second exemplary circuit in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 2C illustrates a third exemplary circuit in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 3 illustrates a connection system for a solar cell in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 4 is a graph illustrating a parameter curve in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 5 illustrates a plurality of electrodes in a solar cell in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary method in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 1A shows an exemplary solar cell 100 having wire tails (leads) 101 a and 101 b used to connect to other solar cells (not shown).
- the solar cell 100 is exposed to a light source 102 .
- the voltage within the solar cell 100 can actually increase to a point where it exceeds the breakdown voltage of the p-n junction typically present in such cells.
- This condition can lead to damage of the solar cell 100 , including but not limited to, for example, micro-cracks in the junction layer or structure.
- the presence of micro-cracks leads to a permanent loss of energy by internal leakage in the solar cell 100 . This leakage can also further heat up the solar cell 100 , and thus even more reduce the efficiency of the solar cell 100 .
- FIG. 1B shows a cross section of the exemplary solar cell 100 , typically a wafer, having at least one junction layer 110 in the middle of the solar cell structure 100 .
- Wires 101 a,b are connected to metallization pins 111 a-n at the top of the wafer and to the bottom of the wafer.
- the light source 102 exposes light on the solar cell 100 .
- the solar cell 100 includes micro-cracks or other physical phenomena including but not limited to electrons, natural holes, etc. 103 a-n that have formed in the upper active layer and/or the junction layer 110 , or both, of the solar cell 100 .
- micro-cracks 103 a-n results from the solar cell voltage constantly exceeding its breakdown voltage, thus causing premature aging of the solar cell.
- FIG. 1B Not shown in FIG. 1B is the possible buildup of a static barrier of unipolar or dipolar charges near the junction layer 110 , resulting in reduction of the solar cell output voltage by as much as 20%, depending on the wavelengths and temperature to which the solar cell is exposed.
- the present invention includes systems and methods to prevent the formation of the micro-cracks, as described above, both during and after the manufacture of a solar cell.
- the micro-cracks can form as early as the first few days in the life of a solar cell.
- the systems and methods of the present invention can be utilized or implemented in a production facility for manufacturing the solar cell to avoid such damage at the earliest possible point in the life of the solar cell. It is estimated that such timely utilization and application of the systems and methods of the present invention can result in approximately 10 to 15 percent more energy output from a solar cell over its lifetime.
- FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate exemplary types of electric circuits that can be applied to the solar cell 100 .
- FIG. 2A shows a simplified exemplary circuit 200 having a resistor 201 and a Zener diode 202 .
- FIG. 4 is a graph 400 of a parameter curve 401 that illustrates the behavior of a typical solar cell in a no-load condition.
- a no-load condition can occur in many situations including, for example, during manufacture of the solar cell 100 and during emergency shut-off when a solar panel including the solar cell 100 is disconnected from a bus or grid.
- the x-axis represents time and the y-axis represents voltage of the solar cell 100 .
- the voltage will quickly increase and then initially stabilize at a nominal junction voltage at a bend 402 .
- the bend 402 represents a critical voltage range after which the solar cell 100 can become damaged.
- a preferred Zener region 404 is a voltage range within which it is preferred to set the Zener voltage of clamping circuits to load the solar cell 100 so that damage to the solar cell 100 can be prevented. With sufficient light, the voltage of the solar cell 100 will slowly creep upwards beyond the nominal junction voltage and reach a maximum open loop voltage 403 reflecting a balance between charge and leakage.
- the Zener diode 202 should be tuned so that the voltage of the solar cell 100 is not cut off too low in order to not waste energy and is not cut off too high in order to avoid damage to the solar cell 100 .
- the preferred Zener region 404 i.e., the breakdown voltage
- the preferred Zener region 404 can be within a predetermined range of the critical voltage range or the nominal junction voltage.
- the Zener diode 202 is activated in the reverse direction only during open loop conditions. Once actual current is flowing in a non-open loop condition, the Zener diode 202 is not activated in the reverse direction.
- the Zener diode 202 can be laser trimmed or otherwise tuned by conventional techniques known by those having ordinary skill in the art to precisely and accurately match the characteristics of a particular solar cell.
- FIG. 2B shows a simplified exemplary circuit 210 having an active controller 213 and a FET switch transistor 211 .
- the transistor 211 is controlled by the active controller 213 .
- a load-measuring resistor 212 may be added.
- the resistor 212 could be, for example, a milliohm resistor providing just enough voltage drop to allow the circuitry of controller 213 to determine if a load (not shown) connected to the solar cell 100 is sufficient or not. When the load is sufficient, the voltage of the solar cell 100 can be ignored.
- the controller 213 can be programmed with a preset threshold at the factory. When the load exceeds the preset threshold, the controller 213 turns off the transistor 211 . In one embodiment, the controller 213 does not have to provide an accurate measurement of the load, but rather a rough range.
- the controller 213 could be an analog circuit measuring the open loop voltage and/or the load current and turning on or off one or more loads by turning on the transistor 211 .
- the transistor 211 could be a transistor or switch other than a FET transistor.
- the transistor 211 could be replaced by one or more transistors in parallel.
- the transistor 211 may need additional cooling.
- the controller 213 can be implemented by using, for example, a programmable microcontroller and applying techniques well known in the art of industrial control.
- the controller 213 includes a circuit having one or more components than can be adjusted by a laser to accurately determine voltage thresholds, both in the case of analog circuits and/or microprocessors, etc.
- a controlled sequence of lights can be used to irradiate the solar cell and measure voltages and other characteristics in a manner and at a level that avoids damaging the solar cell.
- the controller 213 can be covered with a protective, passivating cover.
- FIG. 2C shows a simplified exemplary circuit 220 having a bipolar junction transistor 221 with a current-limiting resistor 223 and a biasing diode 222 .
- the transistor 221 and the diode 222 together function as a “poor-man's” Zener diode.
- the resistor 223 limits the maximum current.
- the transistor 221 can be a transistor other than a pure bipolar junction transistor.
- the diode 222 may be a standard diode.
- the diode 222 can be a laser-trimmed diode or a Zener diode to ensure that the circuit 220 runs within a voltage range required to protect the solar cell 100 .
- the transistor 221 should be turned on when the voltage across the base and emitter of the transistor 221 and the diode 222 reaches the voltage at the bend 402 of the solar cell.
- the transistor 221 can be trimmed so that the voltage across the base and emitter of the transistor 221 , which turns on the transistor 221 , is in the voltage range required to protect the solar cell 100 .
- the diode 222 is not used.
- FIG. 3 shows a connection system 300 that connects the components of the circuits 200 , 210 , 220 as shown in FIGS. 2A-2C .
- the connection system 300 can be assembled during a manufacturing process for solar cells.
- a solar cell such as the solar cell 100
- strips (leads) 301 a and 301 b come from an adjoining solar cell (not shown) on the left of the solar cell 100 and are attached to the bottom of the solar cell 100 .
- Additional strips (leads) 301 c and 301 d connect in a similar manner from the metallization (top) layer of the solar cell 100 to the bottom of the next solar cell (not shown) on the right.
- the connection system 300 includes a circuit 302 a that is connected externally to the solar cell 100 .
- the circuit 302 a can incorporate the components of the circuits 200 , 210 , 220 other than the solar cell 100 .
- components of a circuit equivalent to the circuits 200 , 210 , 220 can be incorporated into the circuit 302 a.
- the connection system 300 includes a circuit 302 b that can be integrated within the solar cell 100 .
- the circuit 302 b can incorporate the components of the circuits 200 , 210 , 220 other than the solar cell 100 .
- components of a circuit equivalent to the circuits 200 , 210 , 220 can be incorporated into the circuit 302 b .
- the integration of the circuit 302 b could require additional steps in the manufacturing process of the wafer, such as the creation of vias, which then could slightly increase its cost. However, this additional expense can be avoided by including a special metallization pad 303 .
- the metallization pad 303 connects the incoming lead 301 b from the bottom of the wafer to the top of the wafer, thus allowing the circuit 302 b to be placed on the top layer of the wafer.
- the integration of the circuit 302 b in the wafer allows, for example, embedding of a simplistic circuit, such as circuit 200 , into the silicon or polysilicon of the wafer and performing the laser trimming of the Zener diode 201 with only one additional process.
- This approach would not require additional metallization layers because it would use existing metallization in the wafer. However, this approach may require masking certain areas of the wafer during the diffusion step in the manufacture of the solar cell that is used to create the structures of the Zener diode. Although a small area of the wafer may become nonproductive; i.e., the area of the additional metallization pad 303 and the circuit 302 b , this area typically would be less than one percent of the total area of the wafer. However, because the resulting additional energy production would be in the 10 to 15 percent range, this small expenditure of space is well justified.
- the circuit 302 b is integrated in the solar cell 100 without the external connection of the circuit 302 a.
- the circuit 302 a is externally connected to the solar cell 100 without the integration of the circuit 302 b in the solar cell 100 .
- the circuit 302 a and the circuit 302 b both can be connected to the solar cell 100 .
- FIG. 5 shows a simplified cross section 500 of the solar cell 100 .
- the solar cell 100 includes a junction layer 501 and a main electrode 502 .
- an undesirable buildup of unipolar or dipolar charges can occur in the solar cell 100 that reduce the voltage that can be produced by the solar cell 100 .
- the buildup of charges typically appears between or adjacent the junction layer 501 and the main electrode 502 .
- the buildup can result in reduction of the solar cell output voltage by as much as 20%, depending on the mix of wavelengths and temperature to which the cells are exposed.
- additional (auxiliary) topical electrodes 503 a - n and additional (auxiliary) internal electrodes 504 a - n can be formed in the solar cell 100 .
- the topical electrodes 503 a - n and the internal electrodes 504 a - n can be used to inject very short pulses to remove those charges.
- the topical electrodes 503 a - n and the internal electrodes 504 a - n can be very narrow, as only nominal currents have to flow to pulse away the built-up charge.
- the required time period between the pulses can be optimized to reduce losses through the pulses themselves.
- the pulses can be delivered through the main electrode 502 .
- the pulses can be delivered through the topical electrodes 503 a - n.
- the pulses can be delivered through the internal electrodes 504 a - n.
- the pulses can be delivered through a combination of the main electrode 502 , the topical electrodes 503 a - n , and the internal electrodes 504 a - n.
- the delivered pulses can clear out clouds of unipolar or dipolar charges, which reduce the effective output voltage and thus the efficiency of the cells.
- a simple circuit external to the solar cell 100 , in addition or combined with other circuits, can be used to generate those pulses.
- a circuit which can produce very short pulses that short-circuit the solar cell, could clear out those clouds as well, and can be integrated in a solar panel or cell controllers.
- FIG. 6 shows a method 600 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
- a circuit is provided.
- the circuit is connected to a solar cell having an open loop voltage approaching a critical voltage range when exposed to light.
- the circuit is used to load the solar cell when the open loop voltage of the solar cell reaches a threshold within a predetermined range of the critical voltage range.
- the circuit is integrated within the solar cell.
- auxiliary electrodes are formed in the solar cell.
- electrical pulses are applied to the auxiliary electrodes to remove unipolar and dipolar charges in the solar cell.
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Abstract
Description
- The present application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/542,632, filed Aug. 17, 2009, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/269,007, filed Jun. 18, 2009, the disclosures of which applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
- The present invention relates generally to the field of solar cells and, more particularly, to prevention of open loop damage during or immediately after manufacturing of solar cells.
- With the increase in solar power installations and concurrent attention to their maintenance and life cycle, it has been found that solar cells, both monocrystalline (thin-film) and polycrystalline, wafers, and coated films, etc. can become structurally modified over time. This phenomena is typically referred to as “light induced degradation,” and is sometimes referred to as the Staebler-Wronski effect. Light induced degradation has been discussed in various publications including, for example, Experimental Study of the Factors Governing the Staebler-Wronski Photodegradation Effect in a-Si:H Solar Cells, Annual Subcontract Report, 1 Apr. 1995-30 Jun. 1996 (October 1996) and National Staebler-Wronski Effect in Amorphous Silicon and Its Alloys, Opto-Electronics Review 12(1), 21-32 (2004).
- It has been found that receiving a medium to large amount of light or sunlight with no load or very little load (referred to as “no load” herein) can physically damage solar cells and reduce the power output of the solar cells over their lifetime by 10% to 15% percent or more. Often, from the time solar cells leave a factory to the time when they are connected to the power grid, there is a loss of power of up to 20% per solar module. But even after such connection, damage may continue in the field due to open circuit conditions (VOC) in early morning hours and other factors.
- The cause of light induced degradation is not very well understood currently. The problem often occurs during and immediately after manufacturing the solar cells. One possible effect of the problem is an undesirable buildup of unipolar or dipolar charges near the junction layer of the solar cell. The buildup, or static barrier, results in reduction of the solar cell output voltage by as much as 20%, depending on the prevalent mix of wavelengths and temperature to which the solar cells are exposed. Undesirable effects are compounded by the above-mentioned physical damage to the solar cell and can lead to very substantial losses in the production of electricity, as the static barrier reduces the energy output of the solar cell and further contributes to its heating up.
- In one of many embodiments of the present invention, systems and methods include a solar cell having an open loop voltage approaching a critical voltage range when exposed to light. A circuit, connected to the solar cell, is configured to load the solar cell when the open loop voltage of the solar cell reaches a threshold within a predetermined range of the critical voltage range.
- Other embodiments and features of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description which follows.
- The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements.
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FIG. 1A illustrates an exemplary solar cell. -
FIG. 1B illustrates an exemplary solar cell having micro-cracks. -
FIG. 2A illustrates a first exemplary circuit in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 2B illustrates a second exemplary circuit in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 2C illustrates a third exemplary circuit in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 3 illustrates a connection system for a solar cell in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 4 is a graph illustrating a parameter curve in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 5 illustrates a plurality of electrodes in a solar cell in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary method in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. - The following description and drawings are illustrative and are not to be construed as limiting. Numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding. However, in certain instances, well known or conventional details are not described in order to avoid obscuring the description. References to one or an embodiment in the present disclosure are not necessarily references to the same embodiment; and, such references mean at least one.
- Moreover, whether or not there is express reference to an “embodiment” or the like, various features are described which may be variously combined and included in some embodiments but also variously omitted in other embodiments. Similarly, various requirements are described which may be requirements for some embodiments but not other embodiments.
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FIG. 1A shows an exemplarysolar cell 100 having wire tails (leads) 101 a and 101 b used to connect to other solar cells (not shown). Thesolar cell 100 is exposed to alight source 102. As the light exposure on thesolar cell 100 continues, it is currently hypothesized that, when thesolar cell 100 is in a no-load situation, the voltage within thesolar cell 100 can actually increase to a point where it exceeds the breakdown voltage of the p-n junction typically present in such cells. This condition can lead to damage of thesolar cell 100, including but not limited to, for example, micro-cracks in the junction layer or structure. The presence of micro-cracks, in turn, leads to a permanent loss of energy by internal leakage in thesolar cell 100. This leakage can also further heat up thesolar cell 100, and thus even more reduce the efficiency of thesolar cell 100. -
FIG. 1B shows a cross section of the exemplarysolar cell 100, typically a wafer, having at least onejunction layer 110 in the middle of thesolar cell structure 100.Wires 101 a,b are connected to metallization pins 111 a-n at the top of the wafer and to the bottom of the wafer. Thelight source 102 exposes light on thesolar cell 100. Thesolar cell 100 includes micro-cracks or other physical phenomena including but not limited to electrons, natural holes, etc. 103 a-n that have formed in the upper active layer and/or thejunction layer 110, or both, of thesolar cell 100. The aforementioned effects—including the micro-cracks, electrons, natural holes, etc.—will be collectively referred to as micro-cracks 103 a-n herein. - It is thought that the formation of these micro-cracks 103 a-n results from the solar cell voltage constantly exceeding its breakdown voltage, thus causing premature aging of the solar cell. Not shown in
FIG. 1B is the possible buildup of a static barrier of unipolar or dipolar charges near thejunction layer 110, resulting in reduction of the solar cell output voltage by as much as 20%, depending on the wavelengths and temperature to which the solar cell is exposed. - The present invention includes systems and methods to prevent the formation of the micro-cracks, as described above, both during and after the manufacture of a solar cell. As will be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the art, the micro-cracks can form as early as the first few days in the life of a solar cell. Hence, the systems and methods of the present invention can be utilized or implemented in a production facility for manufacturing the solar cell to avoid such damage at the earliest possible point in the life of the solar cell. It is estimated that such timely utilization and application of the systems and methods of the present invention can result in approximately 10 to 15 percent more energy output from a solar cell over its lifetime.
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FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate exemplary types of electric circuits that can be applied to thesolar cell 100.FIG. 2A shows a simplifiedexemplary circuit 200 having aresistor 201 and aZener diode 202. -
FIG. 4 is agraph 400 of aparameter curve 401 that illustrates the behavior of a typical solar cell in a no-load condition. A no-load condition can occur in many situations including, for example, during manufacture of thesolar cell 100 and during emergency shut-off when a solar panel including thesolar cell 100 is disconnected from a bus or grid. The x-axis represents time and the y-axis represents voltage of thesolar cell 100. As light is exposed to thesolar cell 100, the voltage will quickly increase and then initially stabilize at a nominal junction voltage at abend 402. Thebend 402 represents a critical voltage range after which thesolar cell 100 can become damaged. Apreferred Zener region 404 is a voltage range within which it is preferred to set the Zener voltage of clamping circuits to load thesolar cell 100 so that damage to thesolar cell 100 can be prevented. With sufficient light, the voltage of thesolar cell 100 will slowly creep upwards beyond the nominal junction voltage and reach a maximumopen loop voltage 403 reflecting a balance between charge and leakage. - Accordingly, the
Zener diode 202 should be tuned so that the voltage of thesolar cell 100 is not cut off too low in order to not waste energy and is not cut off too high in order to avoid damage to thesolar cell 100. The preferred Zener region 404 (i.e., the breakdown voltage) should occur shortly after thecurve 401 exceeds the nominal junction voltage after thebend 402. In one embodiment, thepreferred Zener region 404 can be within a predetermined range of the critical voltage range or the nominal junction voltage. In operation, theZener diode 202 is activated in the reverse direction only during open loop conditions. Once actual current is flowing in a non-open loop condition, theZener diode 202 is not activated in the reverse direction. - Different solar cells have different open loop voltage characteristics, and each
solar cell 100 will have aunique bend 402 and critical voltage range. Thus, in one embodiment, theZener diode 202 can be laser trimmed or otherwise tuned by conventional techniques known by those having ordinary skill in the art to precisely and accurately match the characteristics of a particular solar cell. -
FIG. 2B shows a simplifiedexemplary circuit 210 having anactive controller 213 and aFET switch transistor 211. Thetransistor 211 is controlled by theactive controller 213. In one embodiment, a load-measuringresistor 212 may be added. Theresistor 212 could be, for example, a milliohm resistor providing just enough voltage drop to allow the circuitry ofcontroller 213 to determine if a load (not shown) connected to thesolar cell 100 is sufficient or not. When the load is sufficient, the voltage of thesolar cell 100 can be ignored. In one embodiment, thecontroller 213 can be programmed with a preset threshold at the factory. When the load exceeds the preset threshold, thecontroller 213 turns off thetransistor 211. In one embodiment, thecontroller 213 does not have to provide an accurate measurement of the load, but rather a rough range. - In one embodiment, the
controller 213 could be an analog circuit measuring the open loop voltage and/or the load current and turning on or off one or more loads by turning on thetransistor 211. - In one embodiment, the
transistor 211 could be a transistor or switch other than a FET transistor. - In one embodiment, the
transistor 211 could be replaced by one or more transistors in parallel. - In one embodiment, the
transistor 211 may need additional cooling. - In one embodiment, the
controller 213 can be implemented by using, for example, a programmable microcontroller and applying techniques well known in the art of industrial control. - In one embodiment, the
controller 213 includes a circuit having one or more components than can be adjusted by a laser to accurately determine voltage thresholds, both in the case of analog circuits and/or microprocessors, etc. In one embodiment, during that process, a controlled sequence of lights can be used to irradiate the solar cell and measure voltages and other characteristics in a manner and at a level that avoids damaging the solar cell. In one embodiment, to avoid or reduce light sensitivity or sensitivity to other external factors, thecontroller 213 can be covered with a protective, passivating cover. -
FIG. 2C shows a simplifiedexemplary circuit 220 having abipolar junction transistor 221 with a current-limitingresistor 223 and a biasingdiode 222. Thetransistor 221 and thediode 222 together function as a “poor-man's” Zener diode. Theresistor 223 limits the maximum current. In one embodiment, thetransistor 221 can be a transistor other than a pure bipolar junction transistor. In one embodiment, thediode 222 may be a standard diode. In one embodiment, thediode 222 can be a laser-trimmed diode or a Zener diode to ensure that thecircuit 220 runs within a voltage range required to protect thesolar cell 100. In one embodiment, as discussed above, thetransistor 221 should be turned on when the voltage across the base and emitter of thetransistor 221 and thediode 222 reaches the voltage at thebend 402 of the solar cell. In one embodiment, thetransistor 221 can be trimmed so that the voltage across the base and emitter of thetransistor 221, which turns on thetransistor 221, is in the voltage range required to protect thesolar cell 100. In one embodiment, thediode 222 is not used. -
FIG. 3 shows aconnection system 300 that connects the components of thecircuits FIGS. 2A-2C . In one embodiment, theconnection system 300 can be assembled during a manufacturing process for solar cells. A solar cell, such as thesolar cell 100, is typically connected to adjoining solar cells by means of metal strips in a daisy chain type of arrangement. As shown inFIG. 3 , strips (leads) 301 a and 301 b come from an adjoining solar cell (not shown) on the left of thesolar cell 100 and are attached to the bottom of thesolar cell 100. Additional strips (leads) 301 c and 301 d connect in a similar manner from the metallization (top) layer of thesolar cell 100 to the bottom of the next solar cell (not shown) on the right. - In one embodiment, the
connection system 300 includes acircuit 302 a that is connected externally to thesolar cell 100. Thecircuit 302 a can incorporate the components of thecircuits solar cell 100. In one embodiment, components of a circuit equivalent to thecircuits circuit 302 a. - In one embodiment, the
connection system 300 includes acircuit 302 b that can be integrated within thesolar cell 100. Thecircuit 302 b can incorporate the components of thecircuits solar cell 100. In one embodiment, components of a circuit equivalent to thecircuits circuit 302 b. The integration of thecircuit 302 b could require additional steps in the manufacturing process of the wafer, such as the creation of vias, which then could slightly increase its cost. However, this additional expense can be avoided by including aspecial metallization pad 303. Themetallization pad 303 connects theincoming lead 301 b from the bottom of the wafer to the top of the wafer, thus allowing thecircuit 302 b to be placed on the top layer of the wafer. The integration of thecircuit 302 b in the wafer allows, for example, embedding of a simplistic circuit, such ascircuit 200, into the silicon or polysilicon of the wafer and performing the laser trimming of theZener diode 201 with only one additional process. - This approach would not require additional metallization layers because it would use existing metallization in the wafer. However, this approach may require masking certain areas of the wafer during the diffusion step in the manufacture of the solar cell that is used to create the structures of the Zener diode. Although a small area of the wafer may become nonproductive; i.e., the area of the
additional metallization pad 303 and thecircuit 302 b, this area typically would be less than one percent of the total area of the wafer. However, because the resulting additional energy production would be in the 10 to 15 percent range, this small expenditure of space is well justified. - In one embodiment, the
circuit 302 b is integrated in thesolar cell 100 without the external connection of thecircuit 302 a. - In one embodiment, the
circuit 302 a is externally connected to thesolar cell 100 without the integration of thecircuit 302 b in thesolar cell 100. - In one embodiment, the
circuit 302 a and thecircuit 302 b both can be connected to thesolar cell 100. -
FIG. 5 shows asimplified cross section 500 of thesolar cell 100. Thesolar cell 100 includes ajunction layer 501 and amain electrode 502. As stated above, an undesirable buildup of unipolar or dipolar charges can occur in thesolar cell 100 that reduce the voltage that can be produced by thesolar cell 100. The buildup of charges typically appears between or adjacent thejunction layer 501 and themain electrode 502. The buildup can result in reduction of the solar cell output voltage by as much as 20%, depending on the mix of wavelengths and temperature to which the cells are exposed. - To address the buildup of charges, additional (auxiliary) topical electrodes 503 a-n and additional (auxiliary) internal electrodes 504 a-n can be formed in the
solar cell 100. The topical electrodes 503 a-n and the internal electrodes 504 a-n can be used to inject very short pulses to remove those charges. In one embodiment, the topical electrodes 503 a-n and the internal electrodes 504 a-n can be very narrow, as only nominal currents have to flow to pulse away the built-up charge. - By monitoring the output voltage and temperature of a solar cell, the required time period between the pulses can be optimized to reduce losses through the pulses themselves.
- In one embodiment, the pulses can be delivered through the
main electrode 502. - In one embodiment, the pulses can be delivered through the topical electrodes 503 a-n.
- In one embodiment, the pulses can be delivered through the internal electrodes 504 a-n.
- In one embodiment, the pulses can be delivered through a combination of the
main electrode 502, the topical electrodes 503 a-n, and the internal electrodes 504 a-n. - The delivered pulses can clear out clouds of unipolar or dipolar charges, which reduce the effective output voltage and thus the efficiency of the cells. In one embodiment, a simple circuit (not shown) external to the
solar cell 100, in addition or combined with other circuits, can be used to generate those pulses. Alternatively, a circuit, which can produce very short pulses that short-circuit the solar cell, could clear out those clouds as well, and can be integrated in a solar panel or cell controllers. -
FIG. 6 shows amethod 600 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Instep 602, a circuit is provided. Instep 604, the circuit is connected to a solar cell having an open loop voltage approaching a critical voltage range when exposed to light. Instep 606, the circuit is used to load the solar cell when the open loop voltage of the solar cell reaches a threshold within a predetermined range of the critical voltage range. Instep 608, the circuit is integrated within the solar cell. Instep 610, auxiliary electrodes are formed in the solar cell. Instep 612, electrical pulses are applied to the auxiliary electrodes to remove unipolar and dipolar charges in the solar cell. - It is clear that many modifications and variations of this embodiment may be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the novel art of this disclosure. These modifications and variations do not depart from the broader spirit and scope of the invention, and the examples cited here are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.
Claims (3)
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US13/232,887 US8415552B2 (en) | 2009-06-18 | 2011-09-14 | Systems and methods for prevention of open loop damage during or immediately after manufacturing |
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US8415552B2 (en) | 2013-04-09 |
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